Aaita, my grandma, was a very special person for me. She lived with Koka (my grandpa) in our native village, whereas we live in Dibrugarh. As my parents work in Dibrugarh, we could not spend much time with my grandparents. Whenever we visited them, they were very happy and we tried to learn new things from their experiences through our conversations.
Aaita never scolded me or got angry with me. Deuta told me that she had been very beautiful in her youth. Whenever Ma scolded me, Aaita used to tell her, “Leave her, she will be able to learn when she reaches higher classes.” I would play with her and comb her grey hair, and say, “Aaita, why don’t you colour your hair with black dye?” She would answer, “If I dye my hair black, everyone will say that I have gone crazy.”
Aaita used to fall sick every year around the month of April to June. As she fell sick at the same time every year, I thought that Aaita used to go to the hospital for her annual health checkup. In 2016, she had chicken-pox and was hospitalised in Dibrugarh. It was June 19 and my pre-mid-term examinations had got over that day. I was at home with my younger brother, and our parents were at the hospital with Aaita. She had been hospitalised for 15 days and her condition was very critical. Suddenly, Deuta informed us that Aaita was no more. It was a great shock for us.
While leaving for the hospital, Aaita had said to me, “Mou, study well. I may not return from the hospital. If that happens, this is my final goodbye.” Both of us started crying and I said, “Aaita, why are you frightening me? You cannot be serious. I am not going to lose you.” I realised later that I was wrong and she was right.
But now, I feel that I was also not wrong. Aaita may have left us physically, but she is still in my heart and will remain forever. I still treasure the gold earrings Aaita had gifted me, which she had received from her father (my great grandfather).
We have tried to preserve her memory through the ‘Jogamaya Borah Memorial Educational Trust Society’ in her name, to work for the all-round development of children. The two main wings of the Trust are the Abritti Aru Kathan Kala Kendra, a school for recitation and communication skills, and a Career Counselling Centre. Many prominent people from various walks of life are also associated with it.
Moorchana Borah, Class-VII,
Sampoorna Kendra Vidyalaya, Dibrugarh.